Archive

No one in Pittsburgh is thinking about free agency at this point, but might as well get the chart out there a month before the signing frenzy begins.

When you break it down, it looks like Pittsburgh is going to be in the market for top-six wingers yet again this summer. Of the returning players, only Kunitz would qualify as a top six guy, unless you think Kennedy (or Caputi and/or Tangradi) is ready to take that role or if Talbot's long-term future is on Malkin's wing.

Of the UFAs, I think the Washington series showed clearly that Scuderi should be the top priority. Guerin has clicked well with Crosby and would be a good short-term option as well. Adams and Zigomanis have proven to be good additions who would probably re-sign on the cheap, but there isn't a top of room for bottom six forwards (Cooke, Staal, Dupuis, Talbot. Godard, Kennedy).

I think the idea of bringing Pesonen back as a cheap winger for Malkin is not a terrible one, but I don't think he'll sign another two-way contract. It'll have to be a one-way.

As for who WBS brings back, the forward depth chart is close to full. Look at this lineup, just for kicks.

You're only looking at adding a couple of forwards. You'd think they'd like to add a captain type like James/Gove and a scorer type like Minard/Taffe, but not much more than that.

Anyway, there will be plenty of time to break down every aspect of this if you'd like to as the summer goes on.

Wanted to let everyone know that I got a nice email from Kurtis McLean the other day. He wanted to thank the fans for treating him so well, even when he left the Penguins to play in the Islanders organization. He also said he'll use the blog to keep up on what is going on in Wilkes-Barre when he's in Finland next season, so don't go ripping him in the comments. (Kidding.)

@Malk, I think there's a decent chance the Penguins will try to sign Zach Sill. They liked his style of game. Moon is still 19, so he doesn't need to sign for another year. I think Caffaro and Muzzin are in the category of players the Penguins would sign to an AHL deal and have them work their way up from Wheeling, if they're agreeable to that sort of situation.

@KJ, College guys (like Goligoski, Curry and Brown to name three) often sign two-year entry level deals rather than the three-year deals that junior kids usually sign. That's why Jack Johnson is an RFA.

Glenn Patrick is the new head coach of Wyoming Seminary's hockey team, the school announced today. Make sure you check out tomorrow's Citizens' Voice for all the details.

I also think congratulations are in order for Kurtis McLean, who signed with the Rauma Lukko, according to this Finnish press release. It says "McLean is expected to lock the team attitude, the solution to power and leadership." Indeed.

Anyway, I say congratulations are in order because McLean got his NHL cup of coffee this season, scored an NHL goal, and now it's time to make some money. It might not be as romantic as the story of the undrafted Division III kid who rises to NHL stardom, but it's practical and good for him.

If you enjoyed that Finnish press release, I'm sure you'll like this Swedish one. It has Penguin killer Darren Haydar heading to Modo.

While we're on the topic of players heading to Europe, this is an interesting one. Jack Johnson to the KHL? Sounds like some kind of bargaining ploy, but interesting nonetheless.

This story says new Minnesota Wild GM Chuck Fletcher alrady has permission to interview Todd Richards for the club's head coaching vacancy. That didn't take long.

Speaking of coaching searches, something crossed my mind today as it became all the more likely that a Pittsburgh-Detroit Stanley Cup finals is upcoming.

Last June 18, the Grand Rapids Griffins fired head coach Mike Stothers. At that point, because Todd Richards had yet to leave WBS for a job in San Jose, Dan Bylsma was still an AHL assistant coach. As a native of the Grand Rapids area, the idea of a head coaching post with his hometown AHL team had to be appealing to Bylsma. I'll bet dollars to donuts he threw his hat into that ring.

On July 22, the Griffins announced that they hired Curt Fraser. About two weeks later, Bylsma was named head coach at WBS.

Imagine the alternate reality had Grand Rapids hired Bylsma instead. Who would have WBS hired instead of Bylsma? Would Ray Shero still have fired Michel Therrien if Bylsma weren't waiting in the wings? Would Pittsburgh have responded to that alternate coach like they did to Bylsma? Would Detroit have a different opponent in the Stanley Cup finals? Where would Todd Reirden have spent this season? Would he still be an assistant at Bowling Green instead of an AHL head coach like he is today? How would all of this have affected Jim Paek?

An interesting tidbit about Botterill that won't appear in the press release. The WBS Penguins and Saint John Flames were tied 2-2 after four games in the 2001 Calder Cup finals with Game 5 being played at the Wachovia Arena. The Penguins took a 2-1 lead into the second period and looked on their way to taking control of the series when this happened.

You might make the case that Botterill owes the WBS fan base a Calder Cup since he basically snatched one out from under their noses eight years ago.

Anyway, I'll make sure to catch up with Botterill for a quick chat before the free agent period begins in July, but for now, at the risk of sounding like I'm whining, I'm on vacation, dammit.

Reports out of Minnesota say Chuck Fletcher will be the new general manager of the Minnesota Wild. This was going to happen sooner or later. Fletcher is very good at his job and Ray Shero has given him the highest recommendations a boss can give. In my dealings with Fletcher, he's struck me as straightforward, knowledgeable and maybe even charismatic. I don't think Minnesota will be disappointed.

From a Wilkes-Barre/Scranton perspective, finding Fletcher's replacement will be the most important thing Shero does all summer. An assistant GM in Pittsburgh who understands what it takes to win in the AHL is critical to the success of the local ballclub.

It's difficult to try to read the tea leaves and speculate about potential replacements for Fletcher. It's not like coaches, where you can easily identify the up-and-comers in the junior and college ranks. That said, I'd put Jason Botterill's name at the top of the list. He's Pittsburgh's director of hockey administration, specializing in things like salary cap projections and contract research. He was around the WBS team frequently this season, especially in the playoffs, and also seems like a personable and knowledgeable kind of guy. He has a unique resume too — he played eight pro seasons, mostly in the minors, then went back to Michigan to get an MBA. I guess what I'm saying is my money would be on Botterill to replace Fletcher, but that's just a guess.

Just got off the phone with Todd Reirden, who has signed a multi-year deal to remain head coach of the WBS Penguins.

This was a no-brainer, as far as I was concerned. Reirden is committed to developing prospects, committed to the film study and X's and O's work required to win at the AHL level, is liked by his players and has a great relationship with the powers that be in Pittsburgh.

I also think it's safe to say that there will now be more synergy between NHL and AHL than ever before in the Penguins organization. Michel Therrien always had some wrinkles that were different than Edzo. Todd Richards and Dan Bylsma had some "Wilkes-Barre" elements to their strategy that wasn't exactly the same as what Therrien was doing in Pittsburgh.

Of course Reirden will have to alter things slightly to fit his personnel, but you're looking at the same systems, same terminology and same drills and an AHL coach and NHL coach who communicate regularly. That will make the transition from AHL to NHL easier than ever before.

A couple of interesting tidbits from the conversation I just had with Reirden.

He said he is beginning a thorough search for an assistant coach and hopes to have one in place by Pittsburgh's conditioning camp for prospects in late July. Reirden said he's looking for someone who has the same "passion, energy and enthusiasm that I think Dan and I both have."

He said there was one thing he thinks his inexeperience made more difficult for him in the playoffs. He wasn't 100 percent confident when deciding whether to give players the carrot or the stick when they underperformed. He felt like if he had ridden some players harder or tried to build up the confidence of other players, they might not have fallen behind 0-2 at Hershey. Experience would help him discern which players repond better to which kind of motivation.

My postseason vacation has begun. I'll be back to work June 3 or so, so frequent updates will resume then, especially as the free agent signing period gets closer. For now, I promised some quotes from the WBS UFAs-to-be. Here they are:

Janne Pesonen: "Pittsburgh is going to be the No. 1 option because I already know the organization and coaches and a lot of players. That would be the No. 1 option, but we’ll see."

Dave Gove: "I’d like to continue to play and if I continue to play, I’d obviously like to come back here. That’s my plan, but if I can’t play, I think I realize something I want to do is coaching. I’ll try to get into that at some level and start life after hockey, but right now, I feel good and my symptoms are all gone. I’m hoping to play."

Connor James: "The organization’s been great to me. Ever since I got here I feel like I was given a fair shot to go up and here I’ve been given every chance to succeed. If I do come back, I definitely have nothing but great things to say about the organization and Wilkes-Barre in general."

Jeff Taffe: "It’s a pretty great situation here with Dan and Todd. Obviously have to see if Todd’s going to be sticking here. See what these guys have to say. It basically comes down to them. I’ve been here for two years now. I know the organization pretty well from that standpoint. I’d like to do that."

Chris Minard: "If I’m going to be the minors, there’s nowhere else I could really see myself playing. I like it here. It’s just up to the organization and my agent."

Joey Mormina: "I would love to come back. It’s a great place. I’ve played in some good cities, but this is up there with the best of them. It’s just a matter if it fits. Who knows if Pittsburgh even wants me back? But if it was up to me, I’d definitely like to be back."

To Minardfan, Gove told me on break-up day that he was headed to Pittsburgh for a medical check-up on his herniated disc, so maybe that has something to do with the transaction. Equipment manager Teddy Richards got called up to join Taffe, Minard, Jeffrey, Lovejoy and Curry on the taxi squad. Maybe Gove will skate with them.

On Veilleux, I have the same concerns as everyone else about his consistency anc competitiveness, but the kid had a big year playing through a shoulder injury, so he deserves credit for that.

On Gergen, the guy didn't distinguish himself in college and is probably better off trying his luck in Europe. Have you guys seen the list of Penguins' second-round draft picks? It's not exactly impressive. They haven't had a second-rounder play 100 games in the NHL since Richard Park (1996). Since then: Pavel Skrbek, Brian Gaffaney, Alexander Zevakhin, Jeremy Van Hoof, Matt Murley, Shane Endicott, Noah Welch, Ondrej Nemec, Ryan Stone, Alex Goligoski, Johannes Salmonsson.

First, Dan Bylsma is in town while Pittsburgh is between series. He will appear on Pardon The Interruption at 5:30 p.m. today on ESPN, live via satellite from Mountain Top, Pa. So check that out.

Second, Pittsburgh is calling up just a couple of players to act as a taxi squad. Bylsma said he hadn't decided yet who would get the call, but I believe it's three players or so. I think Jeff Taffe is one of them. I'll post an update when I know more.

Now, are you ready for the list of "undisclosed" injuries that are now disclosed? It's a long one. Teams always reveal a bunch of injuries after the playoffs end, but this really is more than usual.

As for who's coming back and who's not, I talked to a bunch of impending UFAs today — James, Taffe, Pesonen, Chris Minard, Joey Mormina and Dave Gove. I can post some quotes later after I listen to the tape, but suffice to say they all said they'd return if Pittsburgh wants them.

Most notably, Pesonen said his first choice would be to stay with the Penguins organization.

Finally, I snagged a cool prize for the next blog contest we have here. Nick Johnson forgot to pack the puck from his first career AHL goal, Dec. 6 vs. Albany. The equipment staff said it would probably get thrown out when they do season-ending clean-up in the locker room, so they said I could give it away to a fan. I don't know what the contest will be yet, but we'll think of something. Keep in mind, though, if you win, that Nick Johnson might come looking for it at some point. Heh.

Here's a first look at a list of who's signed and who isn't for next season. I'll refine it tomorrow at break-up day and post a complete organizational list in a few days.

UFA

RFA

SIGNED

Pesonen

Thomas

Letestu

Minard

Wallace

N. Johnson

Taffe

Lovejoy

Jeffrey

James

Goligoski

Caputi

Gove

Curry

Bissonnette

Daoust

Brown

Boogaard

Henrich

D'Aversa

Goebel

Engelland

Morrison

Veilleux

Ewing

Tangradi

Mormina

Pierro-Zabotel

Cote

Grant

Wozniewski

Haddad

Cashman

Vitale

Sheahan

Thiessen

Berkhoel

Darling

I've read the comments about Hershey being stacked and I have a question. Where were those comments last year? Last year's Chicago Wolves were the stacked ones. Yes, this Hershey team takes a little more care to add veteran minor leaguers than most AHL teams, but they're operating within the spirit of the AHL.

The Bears have some advantages, structurally, over the Penguins. They signed Keith Aucoin to a contract that is a two-way this year and a one-way next year. The Penguins will never sign someone to that kind of contract. Chuck Fletcher has basically told me so. Also, their AHL free agent signings last summer were Graham Mink, a first-line forward, and Bryan Helmer, their captain and most reliable defenseman. The top AHL free agents signed by the Penguins were probably J-P Cote and J-M Daoust — important parts of a good team but not as accomplished as Mink and Helmer. When the Bears were looking to add a fourth-line right wing during this series, they put in AHL veteran Darren Reid. The Penguins didn't have anyone like that in the press box.

That said, there is no doubt in my mind that the Bears believe in developing prospects. They gave tons of playing time to two rookie goalies this year. They dropped John Carlson right into a playoff series. Osala, Perreault and Bouchard were key members of their team. They are by no means an old IHL club.

To K, how awesome is it to have one Game 7 tonight and two tomorrow. I have my popcorn ready.

WBSpenguins, I don't think Mudville applies just yet, but I could see how the Buffalo Bills comparison might fly at this point.

To saunders, I'll make sure to ask about a taxi squad tomorrow. I expect a couple players would be called up, yes.

To jbeiter, I know Todd Reirden spent much of Sunday night, Monday and Tuesday deciding what the right tactical changes would be for Game 7. He's good like that. He's not one of these coaches who throws the puck out there and says, 'Play harder.' Obviously, he didn't find the magic bullet to slay the Bears. I don't think there was one to be found.

To nafs, I've had this Reirden quote on Dave Brown on my desktop for, like, two weeks and I never did anything with it. Here it is: "Dave's had some problems with an injury. His wrist and hand have been bad. He's going to continue to get that looked at. That was part of the reason he wasn't able to play at the end of the year; he was struggling with an injury. It's a situation where Curtis had a great end of the year. Well deserved, with the effort he put out throughout the course of the year. When he was up here before, he was a great practice player and competitor and he gets along good with our guys. Those were all situations we were happy to have with Curtis Darling."

Reirden also mentioned after the game last night that Joey Haddad needs knee surgery, which is why he didn't report here for the playoffs. I'm sure we'll get the real story on a lot of injuries tomorrow.

To stonefan, I was thinking about it right after I wrote that last night and the word "embarassment" is probably too strong. "Disappointment" probably isn't strong enough. It has to be something in between. Hershey was the best team in the conference all year. They couldn't lose in the division finals.

Enjoy a Game 7 tonight. I'll be back with more after I break-up day tomorrow.

A winner of first-place honors in the blogging category of the 2012 Pennsylvania Associated Press Managing Editors awards, Penguins Insider was created to give local hockey fans an interactive, in-depth way to follow the team they so passionately support. The blog's author, beat writer Jonathan Bombulie, has been covering the team since its inception in 1999. Contact him at jbombulie@aol.com

Visit the WBS Penguins page at citizensvoice.com for Penguins stories, photos and more.